Page 18 of The Night Shift

Her face turns red.Flustered Holly. My favourite.

Her gaze flickers down, catching on the chest pocket of my coat. I don’t know what she’s looking at, but I see her take in a slow, deliberate breath. Her shoulders shift slightly, as if bracing herself for something, before her eyes lift back to meet mine. She swallows once like she’s trying to push down whatever she’s feeling.

I lift my mug to take a sip of my coffee. “You all right, love?”

She smiles and tips my mug over with her dainty little finger, spilling the hot liquid all over my white coat.

“Much better now,” she says.

I glance down at my coffee-drenched clothes, then back up. “Nice. Very mature.”

“I recommend white vinegar for the stains. Probably sooner than later.” She pushes past me, storming out of the room.

I grab a tissue from the counter and blot furiously at the stains, dabbing the warm liquid before it has a chance to set, then quickly follow her out — well, of course, I do. And as soon as I turn the corner, I catch the tail end of her apologizing to someone who’s already gone.

“Well, at least I know you’re capable of saying the word ‘sorry’ without bursting into flames.”

A pause.

Then she glances my way and snaps, “I was talking to her.”

“And now you’re talking to me. All is well in the world.”

“Considering that you’re still breathing and talking in front of me, I’d say all is not well in my world.”

“That’s a bit dramatic, Hollister. All I ever do is try to make your time at this hospital a little more entertaining.”

“You call this entertaining? Irritating me and trying to get a reaction out of me day after day like some kind of an incessant mosquito?”

“Well, it’s certainly entertaining for me,” I say. “And who knows, maybe you'll find it entertaining too. Once you loosen up a bit.”

“Unfortunately, my definition of entertainment involves seeing you horizontal.”

Oh, yes. “In your bed?”

“In a grave. Preferably decapitated.”

My grin falters, replaced by a frown. I open my mouth to say something, but right then a nurse walks past us. She looks at me and I acknowledge her presence with a courteous smile. The nurse giggles and scurries off. Once she’s disappeared out of sight, I turn my attention back to Holly. “I’m sorry, Dr. Moore. What were you saying?”

Holly’s expression darkens. “Get fucked.”

“That’s a strange way of apologizing for spilling coffee on me.”

“My bad. Next time I’ll be sure to switch it for sulphuric acid. Now, get out of my way.”

Of course, I don’t. “Why don’t you try that again? This time with the word please?”

I can practically feel the anger rising off Holly’s skin like heat. Her mouth twists. “Theo, please get out of my way so that I’m not forced to punch you in the throat.”

At this point, I’m physically unable to stop smiling. I feel like an idiot. But that’s okay. I’m her idiot. “That desperate to cop a feel, huh?”

Holly is not amused by my sense of humour. “Oh no. Am I that transparent?”

“What can I say? I can read you like a book.”

“I’m surprised you can read at all.”

“It’s one of my many, many talents.”